Acne Vulgaris Discussions and Research

Acne Treatments
Treating acne has been one of the main focuses of dermatology for many years. Even with years of study and research continually looking to improve acne treatments, acne sufferers are often left with only modestly clearer skin. Problem pimples still pop up, zits, blackheads and whiteheads emerge and overall poor complexion is present. Fortunately today we have a variety of at-home medical devices from established companies such as Zeno®, Tria®, Claro® and others which are showing significant results in treating acne. These devices, coupled with the use of topical acne creams, are showing dramatically better results than anything used before. Now millions of acne sufferers can have clear, beautifully smooth skin.

Clearing Acne with At-Home Devices
For many years dermatologists have used lasers, blue light therapy, pulsed light, radiofrequency energy and LHE therapy to target P. acnes, the acne-causing bacteria. These treatments have worked in the dermatologist’s office for years, but the technology to put these devices in the homes of acne sufferers was not yet available. Now due to breakthroughs in both the effectiveness of these devices and the ability to make them more cheaply and smaller, having the power of these acne fighters at home is finally possible.

The Patient’s Guide® to Acne
There are so many different acne creams, products and treatments, both at-home and in skin care clinics, it can be very difficult to know what is right and what is effective. Fortunately the Patient’s Guide®, the leading online publication in cosmetic dermatology has launched Acne.md, our newest website dedicated to educating patients about acne and acne treatments. The Patient’s Guide was launched in 2006 and now comprises more than 25 websites covering the range of skin care issues. We bring you the leading researchers and experts in the field of skin care so you can feel confident in the information we provide. While only a one-on-one consultation with a dermatologist can truly give you an idea of what treatments may be right for you, we aim to at least provide you with an idea of what’s now available.

The information found on this website is not designed to replace the patient/physician relationship.

An article in the March-April 2009 issue of Clinical Dermatology discusses the possible effect of the glycemic index on the prevention of disease, with a particular emphasis on acne. The glycemic index (GI) is a way of ranking the effect of carbohydrates on blood glucose and insulin levels. Although its underlying scientific premise remains controversial, the GI diet has drawn the interest of researchers as well as the public in recent years.

This article points out that although acne is common in Western populations, it is rare in non-Western societies (for example, among the Inuit, Okinawan Islanders, and Kitaven Islanders)—until those societies adopt Western lifestyles. The article then discusses in detail the biological rationale for a possible connection between diet, hyperinsulinemia and acne.

“Recent evidence has demonstrated that the hormonal cascade triggered by diet-induced hyperinsulinemia elicits an endocrine response that simultaneously promotes unregulated tissue growth and enhanced androgen synthesis,” note the article’s authors. “Hence, hyperinsulinemic diets may represent a previously unrecognized environmental factor in the development of acne.”

Source: Berra B, Rizzo AM. Glycemic index, glycemic load, wellness and beauty: the state of the art. Clinics in Dermatology. 2009:27:230-235.

The information found on this website is not designed to replace the patient/physician relationship.

In a comparison study, Korean researchers have found that a combined 585/1,064-nm (sequential dual-wavelength pulsed dye laser [PDL] and neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet) laser is as safe and effective as a PDL laser alone in treating mild to moderate acne (acne vulgaris)

For the randomized, double-blinded, split-face study, which was published in the medical journal Dermatologic Surgery, researchers recruited 16 volunteers with mild to moderate acne. Each underwent 3 treatment sessions at 2-week intervals. At each session, half of their face was treated with a single pass of a combined 585/1,064-nm laser and the other half with a single pass of PDL. Follow-up occurred at 8 and 12 weeks after treatment began.

The results: The inflammatory acne lesions were reduced by 86% on the PDL-alone sides and by 89% on the 585/1,064-nm sides. The observed reductions in noninflammatory lesions was similarly equivalent: 69% and 64%, respectively.

The authors concluded that

“PDL and combined 585/1,064-nm laser were safe and effective for the treatment of inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesions.”

Source: Jung JY, Choi YS, Yoon MY, Min SU, Suh DH. Comparison of a pulsed dye laser and a combined 585/1,064-nm laser in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Dermatol Surg. 2009. Jan 16.

The information found on this website is not designed to replace the patient/physician relationship.

In a study published recently in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology, a team of Korean researchers reported that the pulsed dye laser (PDL) and the 1065-nm long-pulsed neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser were equally effective in treating atrophic facial acne scars in the same patient.

Eighteen patients were enrolled in the 14-week, single-blinded, randomized, comparative split-face study. Each patient received 4 treatment sessions at 2-week intervals. The board-certified dermatologists who performed the treatments did not participate in outcome assessments. Follow-up occurred at 2-week intervals during the treatment period and at 4-week intervals for 8 weeks afterwards. Acne scar improvements were assessed and scored (based on the ECCA clinical evaluation scale) by two masked dermatologists.

The results: Both types of laser treatments produced notable and comparable improvement in the appearance of acne scars, especially superficial scars. Ice-pick scars (narrow, deeply pitted scars) and boxcar scars (round or oval scars) tended to respond better to PDL and Nd:YAG lasers, respectively.

The authors concluded that both lasers “are effective modalities for the treatment of acne scars. Optimal outcomes might be achieved considering scar types and responses to a specific laser.”

Source: Lee DH, Choi YS, Min SU, Yoon MY, Suh DH. Comparison of a 585-nm pulsed dye laser and a 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of acne scars: A randomized split-face clinical study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 Feb 12. [Epub ahead of print].

The information found on this website is not designed to replace the patient/physician relationship.